Kim Hye Yoon: Horror Queen Meets Lovely Charm

Actress Kim Hye-yun is making her first foray into the horror genre with the film 'Salmokji,' showcasing a new acting transformation. Despite being a self-proclaimed 'horror mania' who enjoys horror movies, she candidly shared the vivid fear she felt on the actual reservoir filming set and her concerns about acting. In the film, Kim Hye-yun plays 'Su-in,' a road view PD, presenting a new, dry yet sharp side of herself.

Kim Hye-yun, taking on the horror genre for the first time with this project, expressed her amazement at the detailed production. She admitted to being overwhelmed by the eerie atmosphere of the actual filming location and realized that even the timing of discovering a corpse had to be meticulously calculated for dramatic effect. She particularly recalled the shocking skipping stone scene and the unsettling sight of bare branches beneath the water at night. She added that the practical fear induced by the digital equipment used by horror YouTubers appearing in the film was both fascinating and chilling.

Kim Hye-yun, a long-time horror enthusiast, stated that her satisfaction with the filming was exceptionally high. She revealed a contrasting charm, confessing to believing in ghosts while identifying as Christian, enjoying watching horror but being afraid of actual abandoned or haunted houses. She explained, "The scenario was interesting, the water ghost concept was novel, and since I usually like horror movies, it was a genre I was already interested in, which led me to choose this project." She expressed her hope that the eeriness and gloom felt from the filming location would be well conveyed to the audience.

Kim Hye-yun recounted a chilling experience during a night shoot at a real reservoir. While on a boat moving across the water, she felt a sense of dread about what might be lurking in the dark water and fear of the strange branches. She also revealed that during a scene where she was filmed alone in the water, she felt something like hair brush against her arm, sending a wave of fear through her.

There was also a peculiar episode during the ritual held before filming. A shaman pointed to several actors and told them to draw an obanggi (a flag representing the five cardinal directions). Kim Hye-yun was chilled to discover that all those actors were playing characters who appeared as ghosts in the film.